Oscillating mechanism for swinging members



Dec, `21, 194s. J, C. @BSCN 2,456,777

OSCILLATING MECHANISM FOR SWINGING MEMBERS Filed May 51, 1944 4 sheersheet 1 Dec. 21, 1948. .1. c. GIBSON 2,456,777

OSCILLATING MECHANISM FOR SWINGING MEMBERS Filed May 3l, 1944 4 Sheets-$heet 2 Nilda .lll IIIIIIIIIA i lll .il\ Il i l ln.

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Dec. 2l, 1948.

Filed May 31, 1944 J@ c. GIBSON OSCILLATING MECHANISM FOR SWINGING MEMBERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 J. C. GIBSON OSCILLATING MECHANISM FOR SWINGING MEMBERS Dec. 21, 1948.

' 4 sheets-sheet 4 Filed May/31, 1944 Patented Dec. 21, 1948 OSCILLATIN G MECHANISM FOR SWIN GIN G MEMBERS Jelerson C. Gibson, Chicago, Ill. Application May 31, 1944, Serial No. 538,138

3 Claims.

The signal light of the present invention is designed primarily to serve as the red or stop signal light at a traine intersection although the light may be used as a danger signal at railroad crossings or under other conditions where a conspicuous and arresting signal is required. In the case of danger signal lights of this character, it is of primary importance to provide an actuating mechanism which shall be absolutely reliable for long periods of time and of simple construction so that there will be a minimum of wear or strain on the operating parts and little likelihood of impairment.

The present invention is designed to meet these conditions and also to provide a concavo-convex lens of special formation provided in front of the arc of movement of the light bulb with a clear glass window section and elsewhere given a prismatic embossure which will produce a flickering or scintillating effect as the light bulb swings back and forth and thus alters its position with reference to the prismatic angles. The combined eifect of this type of illumination is such as t arrest attention and by making the concaveconvex lens of ruby glass, and employing a unique and arresting type of illumination, a highly effective danger signal is provided.

Further objects and details will appear from a description of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings; wherein Figure 1 is a iront elevation of the solenoid motor mechanism for oscillating the light bulb.

Fig. 2 an end elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 a longitudinal sectional elevation through the center of the motor mechanism;

Fig. 4 a rear elevation of same;

Fig. 5 a detail partly in section of the duplicate solenoid motor;

Fig. 6 a wiring diagram;

Fig. '7 a front elevation of the signal light and the mounting therefor;

Fig. 8 a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 9 a sectional fragment of the concaveconvex lens showing the prismatic embossure; and

Fig. 10 a fragment of the rear face of the same showing the particular prismatic pattern employed for purposes of exemplication.

The device as a whole is carried by a ring shaped frame 20, the wall of which is flared to provide for the reception of a conical reilector 2|. The ring 20 is provided with a pair of ribbed arms 22 which converge rearwardly and combine in a socket ring 23 which receives the end of a tubular neck 24 terminating at its inner end in a flanged head 25 which carries the frame 26 of the motor.

The end of the neck is threaded to receive a locking collar 2l which together with a set screw 28 serves to support the neck and the motor fr-ame carried thereby, rigidly within the socket ring 23 so that the entire device as a self-con` tained unit may be readily mounted within a light column or other suitable support.

The front of the reflector is closed by a concaveconvex lens 29 preferably of red color which is provided below its center with a relatively thin window section of clear smooth surfaced glass 30 while the remainder of the body is thicker and impressed on the inner surface with a prismatic embossure 3| which will hereafter be described vmore in detail.

The motor frame 26 comprises a at continu'- ous rear wall 32, depending end walls 33 and a top wall 34 which is continuous at its outer end portions 35, but is notched out in its front center at the point 36 leaving across the center only a forwardly extending flange 3l (Fig. 3). The notching of the top wall of the frame provides for the mounting of a hanger 38 having a centrally depressed body portion 39 which is supported at each end by a vertical leg 40 which connects with a flat bar section 4| which overlies the inner margin of the top wall adjacent the central notch therein, an insulating strip 42 being interposed between contiguous surfaces. The base wall of the hanger is grooved to afford a pivotal mounting for a swinging snap switch element 43 which normally stands vertically in the center of the hanger and is under the tension of a vertical spring 44 so that as the spring tension is applied upon one side or the other of the dead center line, it will cause the switch to suddenly snap over to the tensionedside and make contact with one or the other of a pair of contact points 45, which has the effect of energizing one or the other of the associated solenoid coils 46.

The solenoid coils surround shuttle armature core piece 4l, preferably of soft iron, which at each end is provided with a non-magnetic 'guide stem 48 which passesv through an aperture on an outer spool head 49 of the solenoid coil (see Fig. 5). The inner heads 50 of 'the'two coils are united by a guide sleeve 5|'of insulating material through which the armature passes. The sleeve lon the forward side is provided with an elongated slot 52 and the armature has mounted thereon a forwardly extending pin 53 which passes through the slot 52 and through a slotted arm 54 carried by and rigid with a rocking tubular shaft 55. The shaft 55 is journalled upon an inner fixed tubular conduit 56, the rear end of which is rigidly mounted within a nut 56a which is brazed to the rear wall 32 of the frame and is also entered through the wall itself, so that it affords a stiff and rigid journal mounting for the oscillating parts. The slotted arm 54 at its upper end carries a rearwardly extending pin of plastic or like non-conducting material which alfords a connection for the lower end of the spring 44, so that as the slotted arm 54 is rocked, the lower end of the spring will be angularly displaced to the degree required to snap over the switch 43.

The rocking shaft 55 has rigidly depending therefrom a bracket arm 51 rigidly secured at its lower end to a collar B which supports a light socket 59 for a bulb 60. The rocking shaft also rigidly carries on its upper side a tubular arm 6| which is entered through and rigid with a cylindrical head block B2 which affords a mounting for a counter weight G3 standing in opposite relation to the light bulb. The connecting tubular arm El serves as a receptacle for a fibrous packing 64 which is saturated with a lubricant. The arm 51 has secured thereto an insulating plate 65 which alfords a mounting for a. pair of commutator half rings 66 the ends of which are slightly separated, and through the lower gap extends a pin 61 of dielectric material which serves as a mounting for the outer end of a cushioning spring 68, the opposite end of which engages the reciprocating pin 53 carried by the shuttle armature. The interposition of the spring at this point serves to dampen the vibrations occmioned by the reciprocations of the armature and to this extent tends to protect the light bulb and prolong its life.

The outer end of the tubular conduit 56, is threaded to receive a nut 69 which provides a mounting for a cross-head of insulating materia] which carries at each end a threaded inwardly projecting brush socket 1I which mounts a brush 12 bearing against the face of the associated oommutator half ring. This arrangement maintains a continuously closed light circuit during the oscillations of the light bulb, The rear oi the motor frame is secured to the flange 2Q. o! the neck by screw bolts 13 entered into dielectric spacer plugs 14. An insulated binding met ll is located in the center of the rear wall and @finds therethrough and provides a point of conmotion for the wiring presently to be described.

The snap switch element 43 is mounted to swing between the pair of spaced Contact points 45 carriecl by and insulated from ears 11, offset and upstanding from the legs of the hanger 38, which is formed of conductive metal, separated from the frame by insulating strips 42. The snap switch .ciment la is thus adapted to establish circuit connection between `either Qne of the contact points and the, conductive hanger, which latter is extended rearwardly through a foot 19 which carries e binding post 80 to which is secured a primy lead wire Si adapted to make connection with a primary line wire 8.2 which coacts with a utondary line wire 83 which in turn is connected through a secondary lead wire 84 with the binding met 15. The respective solenoid coils 4B are connected through lead wires 85 with the inner and of the binding post 15. The opposite ends of the coils 46 are connected through wires 85 with .the contacts 45, and condensers 81 are provided, each of which is in circuit with the associated contact through a lead wire 8B and in circuit with the binding post through a lead wire 89.

A constantly closed light circuit is provided effect can be employed for through wires 92 and 93 which connect respectively with the commutatore B6 which latter are in constant brush contact and circuit connection with binding posts 15 and 8U through wires 94.

W ith the circuit system arranged as above indicated, and with the system in closed circuit with the line wires 82 and 83, the shuttle armature will be constantly reciprocated due to the fact that as the slotted arm 54 with the spring 44 secured thereto passes beyond the dead center position, it will cause the switch element 43 to suddenly snap over to the opposite contact, thereby breaking the circuit through one of the solenoid coils and closing the circuit through the other, which will have the effect of drawing back the shuttle armature until the spring tension imparted to the swinging switch element is applied on the opposite side of the dead center, which again causes a shifting of the switch element with a corresponding make and break of the circuits. Although the solenoid circuits are thus alternately actuated, the light circuit will remain constantly closed through the contact of the brush points 12 with the coinmutator sections which are in circuit with the line wires 82 and 83 respectively.

The rocking tubular shaft 55 will be constantly lubricated by the admission of oil or the like stored within the packing 64 so that there will be no appreciable wear on the operating parts throughout long periods of time, The structure as a whole constitutes a self-contained unit which is completely housed for protection against the elements and which may be easily mounted within a suitable support without displacement or separation of any of the operating parts so that in Cil-Se repairs are required, a complete unit can be readily removed and a new unit substituted without difficulty or appreciable loss of time.

The light bulb is so disposed as to oscillate immediately behind the clear glass window 30 of the lens which is preferably of integrally molded construction and of the usual red color throughout so that as the bulb oscillates back and forth, it will flash clearly through the window which is made thin to secure unimpaired transparency, while the remainder of the lens being thicker and of ribbed contour, will impart a scintillating or flickering eifect due to the prismatic embossure, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10. It will be understood. however, that the particular prismatic pattern there shown serves merely for purposes of illustration and that other patterns of embossure adapted to produce a flickering or refractive a like purpose. In the present instance thelprismatic pattern is provided by the formation of intersecting ribs 95 and 9B which divide the inner surface of the lens into square depressions which in turn are embossed with obliquely extending ribbing 91 which ribbing arangement affords a multiplicity of angularly disposed surfaces, which give to the lens wall a variable thickness so that the light rays are broken and refracted at varying angles as the bulb oscillates back and forth in the manner described.

The resultant luminous effect, therefore, combines the clear Vision of a point of light swinging back and forth behind a clear glass window and supplemented by a ickering field of light throughout the remainder of the signal; thus, accentuating the intended eifect and producing a unique and. conspicuous warning signal,

I claim:

1. An oscillating mechanism for a swinging member comprising a stationary frame, a rotatable shaft journaled in said frame, a reciprocating shuttle armature, a pair of spaced solenoid coils carried by said frame in surrounding relation to opposite ends of said armature, a slotted sleeve surrounding said armature and extending between said coils, a pin carried by said armature and extending through said slot in said sleeve, an arm carried by said shaft, one end of said arm cooperating with said pin to convert the reciprocal longitudinal movement of said armature to a reciprocating rotary motion of said shaft, a spring member secured at one end to the opposite end of said arm, the opposite end of said spring member being secured to a pivoted switch element, said switch element having a circuit connection with said coils and being adapted to be snapped past dead center position with each swing of said arm, a pair of contacts positioned to be alternately contacted by said switch element and circuit elements connecting the respective contacts, each with one of said solenoid coils, for alternately energizing the coils.

2. An oscillating mechanism for a swinging member comprising a stationary frame, a rotatable shaft journaled in said frame, a reciprocating shuttle armature, a pair of spaced solenoid coils carried by said frame in surrounding relation to opposite ends of said armature, an arm carried by said shaft, one end of said arm cooperating with said armature to convert the reciprocal longitudinal movement of said armature to a reciprocating rotary motion of said shaft, a spring member secured :at one end to the opposite end of said arm, the opposite end of said spring member being secured to a pivoted switch element, said switch element having a circuit connection with said coils and being adapted to be snapped past dead center position with each swing of said arm, a pair of contacts positioned to be alternately contacted by said switch element and circuit elements connecting the respective contacts each with one of said solenoid coils for alternately energizing the coils.

y member adapted to alternately move a switch element with each swing of said arm, said switch element having a circuit connection with said coils, a pair of contacts positioned to be alternately contacted by said switch element and circuit elements connecting the respective contacts each with one of said solenoid coils for alternately energizing the coils.

JEFFERSON C. GIBSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 353,142 Knowles Nov. 23, 1886 565,727 Dickerson Aug. 11, 1896 603,524 Coachman May 3, 1898 661,666 Martin Nov. 13, 1900 803,936 Stokes Nov. 7, 1905 929,763 Hoggson Aug. 3, 1909 1,197,862 Scott Sept, 12, 1916 1,568,210 Colstad Jan. 5, 1926 1,668,278 Langdon May 1, 1928 1,751,018 Signor Mar. 18, 1930 1,787,382 Jones Dec. 30, 1930 1,954,575 Pearson Apr. 10, 1934 2,002,331 Signor May 21, 1935 2,302,421 Cristofoli Nov. 17, 1942 

